Check out the new web site http://www.yestech.com/renaissance.

To purchase a DataGator or to inquire into sub-licensing opportunities, contact:

Renaissance Instruments, Inc.

2555 North IH-35, Suite 300

Round Rock, TX 78664

Phone: (512) 388-9270

Fax: (512) 388-9272

contact us

Fully portable, precalibrated and easily installed flow metering device capable of accurate measurement in all sewer and storm water flow conditions.

Competitive Advantages:

1. Greater accuracy -- with error factors as low as three percent of full scale (at open channel and full pipe flow operating conditions), compared to ten percent and higher for velocity-area flowmeters. This device offers greater performance accuracy than any other sewer flowmeter on the market.
2. No field calibration required -- the user can save valuable time because calibration in the sewer is not required (the device is already precalibrated to meet National Institute of Standards and Technology standards).
3. Ease of installation -- installers can be in and out of the sewer in less than ten minutes.
4. Increased versatility -- this is the only flowmeter that accurately operates under all flow conditions (partially filled or full pipe, reverse flow and submerged flow). The device also provides accurate readings during the transition from partial to full pipe flow.

Examples of Applications and Markets:

The major market for the flowmeter is in municipalities for infiltration/inflow studies, capacity studies and sewer flow monitoring. Typically, the flowmeter is placed in a sewer line to collect data for several days or weeks and then moved to another location. Hence, ease of installation is a very important consideration. Another small, but rapidly emerging market is the area of monitoring industrial discharges into municipal sewer systems or waterways. The flowmeter has also been used to measure water use efficiency by comparing wastewater effluent flows to water use to determine process losses.

Status:

Selective field trials completed. This novel product, winner of the prestigious R&D 100 award, was previously offered by TN Technologies Inc. as the DataGatorTM. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Phase II developed larger sizes of flow tubes. Related technology -- completed U.S. Advanced Research Project Agency, Phase I project for wireless communication between manhole and field.

Commercial Interest:

Patents for the flowmetering technology are available for license or outright sale. YES can provide contacts who have previously used this device and would like to be able to purchase additional units.

Patents:

• "Apparatus and Technique of Metering Liquid Flow," U.S. Patent No. 4,799,388, issued January 24, 1989; reissue application 07/645,212, January 24, 1991.
• "Portable Wastewater Flow Meter," U.S. Patent No. 4,896,542, issued January 30, 1990; reissue application 07/828,528, January 29, 1992.
• "Method and Apparatus for Metering Flow in Closed Conduits that Surcharge," U.S. Patent No. 5,199,306, issued April 6, 1993.
• "Method and Apparatus for Pressure and Level Transmission and Sensing," U.S. Patent No. 5,406,828, issued April 18, 1995.
• "Portable Flow Measurement System," U.S. Patent No. 5,423,226, issued June 13, 1995.
• "Apparatus and Technique of Metering Liquid Flow," Japanese Patent No. 2,520,656.Japanese Patent Application No. 62-143112.
• "Distributed, Unattended Wastewater Monitoring System," U.S. Patent Application No. 08/360,300.

• Final Report -- The Flumeter, A New Tool For Wastewater Management (research sponsored by U.S. Department of Energy), May 1988, pp. 39 plus appendices.
• Phase I Final Report -- Portable Flow Measurement System (research sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture), December 1992, pp.43 plus appendices.
• Phase I Final Report -- Distributed, Unattended Storm Water Discharge Monitoring (research sponsored by U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency), October 1994, pp. 60 plus appendices.Hunter, R.M., Hunt, W.A., & Cunningham, A.B. (1991a).
• Portable flow meter for sewers that surcharge. Article presented in Water Environmental & Technology, 3(2), 48-51.
• Phase II Final Report -- Portable Flow Measurement System, (research sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture), August 1996, pp. 39 plus appendices.
• The following three papers will be sent out as a set for the price of one:
  • Hunter, R.M., Natarajan, M., & Albrecht, G.A. (1992). A novel flowmeter for open channel and full pipe sewer flow measurements.
  • Paper presented at Instrument Society of America International Conference, October 18-22.Hunter, R.M., Stewart, F.M., & Kirkland, R.A. (1992). Knowledge-based expert system for infiltration/inflow management.
  • Paper presented at Water Environment Federation 65th Annual Conference & Exposition, September 20-24, New Orleans, LA.Hunter, R.M., Stewart, F.M., Boyes, W.H., & Natarajan, M. (1991b). A new technique for storm sewer flow metering. Water Pollution Control Federation 64th Annual Conference, Toronto, Ontario.